Bio
Sisters Amy Boone and Deborah Kelly (not half-sisters: Deborah nabbed their
mother's maiden name) grew up in the Adironacks, getting "home lessons"
from their parents' Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash records. Clearly talented
and obsessed with music, they realized while still young that listening
to classic-rock New York radio stations didn't provide the breadth of exposure
to traditional and new garage that they craved. Bands like Kiss and Foghat
interested them, but only until they were finished being teenagers. Thus,
they packed it up and moved on out to Austin, TX, where they rented a dive
behind the famed Antone's, noted for introducing such alt upstarts as the
Wild Seeds, the Wannabees and Doctor's Mob. They began by hitting the open
mic circuit as an acoustic duet at the since folded Chicago House, and
slowly developed a popularity that defined the Austin vibe: strictly indie,
unpresuming, straightforward and hard-rocking, with delirious hoedown and
punk grafts reminiscent of Lone Justice and the exploding alt-country scene
at large. Although they had previously not concentrated on country music
-- they had found the Nashville sound oppressive, originally -- Damnations
(who added the TX to distinguish themselves from other similarly named
bands) became increasingly countrified, without giving in to the twang
of irony and put-on that a number of cowpunk bands seem to need. By bringing
Prescott Curlywolf's Ron Bernard in on banjo and guitar and Conrad Choucroun
on drums, the full band sound suddenly became one of Austin's most powerful
club draws. The arrival of Half Bad Moon, their first recording with Sire
records, plunged the girls (and boys) into a tremendously successful tour,
cementing the group's reputation as a fun, versatile and very musical country
tweaked band in the truest tradition of family talent and dues paying rewards.
~ AMG w/ corrections |
Albums
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